CANTON, M.A. – The Elmira Aviators (20-26-5-4) fell to the Northeast Generals (28-22-5-1) 5-3 at the Canton Ice House Friday night.
The Aviators led three times, going up 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 before the Generals rallied back in the third period to take their first lead.
Northeast surged on the power play Friday night. The Gens entered the contest with the second-best man-advantage in the division at 23.5%.
The Generals were on fire against the Aviators on the power play, going 3/4, including the game-winning score late in the third period.
At five-on-five, Elmira was solid, taking advantage of its opportunities early in the contest. Max Campbell and Jake Baratta hooked up to find Corson Maguire for the game’s opening score with slick passing on the rush.
Later in the first, Evan Dantas used an attacking zone draw to push the puck forward, then snap it on the net for a 2-1 Aviator lead.
And while not as lethal as the Generals on this day, the Aviators’ power play did convert with Cael Primanti setting the table perfectly for Andrew Horn as he entered the zone where he buried his own rebound to give Elmira a 3-2 lead.
The Aviators took that 3-2 lead into the third period, but the Gens’ relentless pressure eventually broke through. Northeast tied the score early in the frame, but what really teetered the game happened much later in the period.
With just over five minutes to play in a 3-3 game, the officials called a penalty on Elmira’s bench for unsportsmanlike conduct. That put the Generals’ thriving power play back on the ice, where they went on to score the game-winning goal.
The Aviators will look to bounce back and earn a series sweep when they face the Generals at the Canton Ice House again on Saturday night. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
Fans can stream the game on NATV or listen live on WINGZ93.
Mac Young is the play-by-play voice of the Elmira Aviators. To contact him, email [email protected].